Improved alarm and indicator for grist and flouring mills



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDIVIN CLARK, OF LANOASTER, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVED ALARM AND INDICATO R FOR GRIST AND FLOURING MILLS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N0. 34,130, dated January 14, 1862.

.T0 all whom 2175 may concern:

130 i'll known that I, EDWIN OLARK, 0f the city and couny of Lancaster and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improven1ent in an Alarm and Indicator for Grist, Flonring, and other Mills, 110 notify the attendant when the mi11 is running regularly 01 otherwise and t0 sound an alarrn when running irregularly from any cause; and I (I0 hereby declare thab the following isa fuIl, clear, and exact description of the construetion 0f the same, referenee being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part 0f this specification, in which Figure 1 represents in perspectiv'e the a1arm and indicating apparatus eonneeted With an ordinary grist or flouring 1ni11. Fig. 2 represents, also in perspective, but 011 an enlarged sca1e, a m0d ification 0'f the governorand ea1n represented in Fig. 1 f0r working the alarn1 and indieator; and Fig. 3 represents a modifieat-ion of the conscruction of the tappets that are struek by the eam or earns on the governorrod 0r shafl; f0r sounding the alarm.

I am aware that a governor has -been used f0r operating certain parts 0f machinery, and I (I0 not e1aim a governor as such.

I am also aware that an alarrn has been conneeted With a mill-hopper in such a manner that when the hopperbecomes empty the alarn1 Will be sonnded; but my invention differs from this very materially, inasrnuch as it indicates when, 01 sounds an alarm f0r, any irregularity in the rnnning 0f burrs,whether such irregularity arises fr0m the feed 01 'any 0the" eause or whether Ehe hopperbe fu1l or etnpty; and myinvention consists in c01nbining with the spindle 01 rnnner-shaft 0f a n1i11 0r W*'*h any moving part of the mill thac operates directlyor indireetly the burr 01 burrs thereof a governor that Will hronghsuitable mechanical applianees sonnd an a1arm orindicate 011 a sca1e, 0r both, when the burr 01 burrs are rn nning irregularly, whatever n1ay be the cause 0f such irregnlarity 01 variation fron1 the fixed 0r proper grinding speed 0f the burr or burrs.

T0 enab1e others skilled in the art to make and use my inVention, I Will proceed. 130 describe the san1e With reference 130 the drawings.

a represents a pul1ey 0n the bnrr-spindle of a mi1l, andb an endless be1t passing around it '00 give motion 130 the spindle, which m0- tion may come from any first-moving power and be transmitted in any 0f the well-known ways. On the spindle there may be another pulley c, around which and around a pulley d 0n the governor-shaft A passes an endless be1t e for revolving said shaft. Of cours6 gearing may be used for producing and transmitting these motions, instead 0f be1ts and pu1leys.

Near the t0p of the shaft A there is fixed a cross-head B, thatturns with he shaft A, and 110 this cross-head is attaehed the arme. C and ba11s D by pivots 0r hinges upon whieh they may swing as the mooion of said shaft diminishes or increases.

E is another dross-head, 1nade fast t0 a s1eeve orboss F, that can move up 0r Clown 0n the shaft A, and the arn1s O are connected. eo this cross-head E by the connect1ng rods 01 bars G whieh form Ehe governor.

On the s1eeve 0r boss F there may be two cams f g, the f0rn1er f having but onebeat or throw 1 and the later two 0r more throws or beats 2 2, for a purpose t0 bapresently described. 011 ehe s1eeve F there may be, also, a r0d or indicator h, thab will riss am]. fa1l With it, and thus max-k on a sca1e z whenher the burr 0r burrs are running ab the speed desired f0r good grinding, 0r whether they are running faster 0r slower than that speed. 011 the shaft j, which is pivoted at top and botom, so as to turn on its journa1s 0r bearings, but restrained fron1 turning t0o freely by a spring k, there is an arm l, whiehwhen the cams f g are at a certain point or position (and whieh should be indicative 0f the proper speed 0f the burr 0r burrs of Ehe mi1l) will nob come in conract with them; but if froxn any canse the speed of the 1nill shou1d become re* duced the governor 0f course Will Show it and ohe ba1ls D Will drop, Ietting down the sleeve 01 boss F and bringing the cam fso that it will strikethe arm l and eause said arm 0r a prolongation of it 130 strike a hell m, each rotation 0f the ca1n striking one b1ow and thus notifying the attendant that the burr 01 burrs are running 500 s10w. If the speed of the mi1l shou1d become excessive, the governor Will raise up the sleeve orboss F, and eonsequently the carn g, bringing it int0 a position where it Will strike the arm l and eause seid arm in a similar manner t0 strike the hell, though the eam g, having two heats, will. cause d0nhle nl1e nnmher 0f strokes 011 the hell thatthe other 02m1 f wonld de, thus indicating to the attenlant hy the rapidity 0f the sound that the mill is running 1100 fast. A seeond hell n may he used, if found desirahle. lt is hung t0 an arm o, that is eonnectel to the arm lhy a 1 0d p, so tl1at it may he rung from nhe m0- ti0n 0f the arm Z.

In practice Ehe indicator h sh0ul(l he near the spoutwhere the fi0ur passes from the hurrs, es the atlsenclant there would l1ave an opportunity t0 See ils oftener, though it; may he placecl elsewhere in any convenient positi0n. So, t00, 0f tl1e hell 0r hells. They may he plaeed in any part 0f ehe mill where the attenda-nt would he m0st likely t0 be, ancl so that l1e may attencl t0 t-he alarm.

'lhe shaft A may he made holl0w, anal a spinclle 9" may be passed down throngh it,ancl by means 0f slots s through seid. hollow shaft this spindle may be conneeted t0 tl1e sleeve 01 h0ss F and rise and fall With seid hoss 01 witl1 tl1e cross-head E, and upon tl1e top 0f tl1is spindle, whieh may extend up int0 any of the upper stories 0f the mill, may he tw0 camsf' g, whieh Will in a sinnilar menner, as heretofore deserihecl 0f the eams f g,eanse an arm Z t0 strike a hell m Witl1 greater er less rnpidiby and indieating hy the s0nnd that the mill is running 1100 sl0w 01' t00 fast. Thus one, tw0, 01 more alarms may he sounded notifying the attendant that bis serviees are reqnirecl. He may, 1500, with0ut any alarm being given, note hy the indicator Whether it Stands; als the true p0int fixecl for it When the speecl is proper f0r goocl grinding 01 whether it indicates that the speed is slightly ine1easing 01 diminishing fron:1 ehe proper speed, and tl1us before an alarm is given l1e may he able t0 anticipate it ancl regnlate the povver or the feecl 01' alle burrs, es the ease may he, t0 prevent; the climinished orincreasecl speed.

Instead of a single arm Z Z f01 striking er ringing the hell, a clouble one l"sueh as shown in Fig. 3rnay he nsed, the arms being wide enough apart 130 allow one 0r the 0ther 0f the can1s f g 01 f g t0 revolve hetween them withont touching either when tl1e proper speed is on, hut bring them in acoion hy uhe raising- 01 lowering 0f the eams when the speed is improper, and instead 0f Ehe g0vernor shown in Fig. 1 a m0re simple arrangement-suehes is shown in Fig. 2 -may be used. In this eonstrnetion but a, single arm O ancl a single hell D are used 0n the shalt A. The sleeve F in this case, es well as bh eams 15 u, are all made in one anrl the same piece with the arm and hell, anclthey are pivotecl 10 t-he shaft: A ab 'u. Now, when tl1is ball is in a position that the desirecl speed of the mill is se1; f0r er will prodn'ce, then tl1e eanns 25 u would revolve without striking the arme of tl1e hell lever 01 arm; buc 'lf this speed should he changecl f0r a faster one o1 a slower one either 111 will thr0w int0 action one 01 Ehe other of the eams hy tip'ping them 0n t11e shaft- 01' spindle ancl thus bring one 01' the other into eontaet with the hell-arm and sonnd the alarm, es the case may be, tlxe (lifferenee in the str0kes upon the hell indicat ing what the mill requires 130 keep its speed als a regnlated velocity. lt is n0t 0f course necessary tl1at all these alarms shoultl 'he used 0n one mill 01 pair 0f hnrrs, one 0f them in ordinary eases being snfficien. I have sh0wn the different methods that ll1ave 01' can employ t0 effect 13l1e pnrpose ancl may use one, two, 01 m0re 0f them, es may he deemed essential. N01 cl0 I c0nfine n1y invention t0 the driving 0f the governor from ehe burr-spindle, as it may be workecl from any 0Lher moving part 0f the mill--gearing equally es Well.

Having thus fully descrihed. the natnre and. 0hjeet 0E my invention, wha1; I elnim therein as new, 2mcl desire t0 secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. Comhining with the burr-spindle 0f a mill 01 Wltl1 any other moving part 0f the millgearing a governor and an alarm apparacus hy whieh any variation fr0m the proper or previonsly-regulated velocity 0f the bllll 01 hurrs f0r good grinng Will be brought t0 the notiee 0f the attendant, snbstantially as descrihed.

2. In comhination Witl1 the bnrr-spindle 01 other moving part of uhe mill-gearing anal a governor, a rocl, hand, 01 indieator that will show t0 the attendant when the speed 0f the burr 01 hnrrs is als its regulated 01 desired velooity 01 any variation therefrom, whether greater 01 less, suhstantially as descrihed.

EDWIN CLARK. WVitnesses:

WILLIAM FRICK, WM. K. FRICK. 

